I Want You Around
by Mrs. Mojo Risin' Blues
Summary: Oneshot. HBK is having a hard time with his back injury and many other things in his life. Fortunately, his best friend Sophia Mysterio is there to help and comfort him. Takes place in 1998 when Shawn left the WWE. HBK/OC. Inspired by The Ramones song "I Want You Around"


One night in his San Antonio home, Shawn Michaels laid on his back as he stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep. The insomnia side effect that was warned on his medicine bottle was taking its effect on him, much to his dismay. As he laid there awake, his mind ran about his current back injury and the impact it made on his life thus far. He was out of his wrestling company on 'injury-leave', but he was still getting paid. Shawn knew the outcomes of his injury; his job will be waiting for him when he returns, and he didn't have to worry about bills because his insurance covered it.

_So why am I so depressed?_

Shawn rolled on his side and glanced at the other pain medication he was prescribed on his night stand. He tried very hard to avoid it, since the main ingredient in it was Morphine. He suddenly remembered that another medication he had had lithium to calm his nerves, so he reached out and took some of them. At that moment, Sophia Mysterio, his long time friend and current caregiver, knocked gently on his open door. He turned to face her and found her in her nightgown looking very tired.

"I came to check up on you" she said to him as she sat on the edge of his bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Alright, I guess." he answered quietly.

She looked suspicious of him, obviously sniffing out the fact he was lying as she noticed Shawn taking more Lithium pills.

"Be careful with that stuff, Shawn" she warned. "I don't want you mixing pills."

"I only took the other meds and this one" he said

"How long ago did you take the other one?"

"About an hour ago."

"Okay."

Shawn winced some more as he laid on his back again. "This pain and insomnia is kicking me in the ass."

"Did you take some of those morphine pills?" Sophia asked "They're supposed to help ease the pain."

"I don't want an addiction." he said "or else I'm gonna end up like a heroin junkie"

"You won't get an addiction, I guarantee you." she replied

"What makes you so confident about that?" He asked as he turned his head towards her

"Because I don't want anything bad to happen to you. It would break my heart even more."

Shawn smiled a little at her kind words

"Besides" she continued with a sudden sense of playfulness in her voice "The Heartbreak Kid doesn't do drugs. He toughs things out on his own!"

He sighed sadly at that statement. To him, it just didn't sound true anymore. He wanted to tough it out on his own and be independent, but he couldn't.

"You know..." Sophia began as she noticed her friend's sadness "Sometimes you worry me."

"How?" Shawn asked curiously "I don't want to worry you more than I already am."

"You haven't smiled in days and when you do, it looks so sad." she said sadly "It's like you truly lost your smile."

Shawn was silent for a few seconds as he briefly reminisced about his 'I Lost my Smile speech' that he gave when he had to give up his title because of a knee injury. It seemed that he had not only lost his smile then but lost it again this time. It was a few more seconds before he spoke again

"It's just so hard" he admitted quietly

"What's so hard?"

He looked up at her with pleading blue eyes

"It's hard to accept that...I'm a failure"

"You're not a failure."

"Yes I am!" he argued as he crossed his arms and turned his head from her stubbornly "I have never asked for anyone's help and now I have to show some humility!"

"We all have to show it sometime in our lives" she argued back "I know it's not easy..."

"Damn right, it's not!" he exclaimed, letting his frustration out "I'm 'The Showstopper! The Main Event!' I can't accept being weak!"

"You're not weak" Sophia said sternly "There's a difference between 'Weak' and 'weakened'. A weak person can't be strong at all. A weakened person has a chanse to regain his or her stamina and to be as strong as ever. That's you"

"What if the company doesn't see that?" he asked her

"If the company thinks you're weak, then why are they paying your medical bills?" She asked, making her point "And why are they still giving you a salary? You mean more to the company than you think, Shawn." she added sincerely "You're the best guy that has stepped foot in that ring, period. And I think Vince realized that enough to let you heal instead of putting you through hell by making you compete while not medically cleared. We may have our differences with him, but I gotta respect him for showing mercy for you."

Shawn remained silent and unchanged attitude-wise until Sophia reached out to him and gave him a warm, comforting hug from behind. Shawn was a bit surprised at her actions, but he felt appreciated that she was there to give it to him. She wasn't bitching at him to get better like many of the corporate employees; she was actually helping him get better at his own pace and cheering him on. For the wrestlers who have seen the MRIs and Xrays of his back, most would've thought Shawn was done wrestling. Sophia, obviously,was an exception. She was the breath of fresh air that made Shawn appreciate life only because she was in his and he knew he would be miserable without her. Shawn however, did have an internal struggle when it came to his feelings for her. It wasn't easy for him to accept the fact he was in love with his best friend, mainly because he didn't know how to tell her or to show her how much he cared.

_Maybe I can show her now..._

After a few seconds of hesitation, he leaned close to Sophia and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. It was a small gesture, but he knew she would react to it and indeed she did. She looked up at him with her big emerald green eyes and he gave her a shy smile, still having her in his arms.

"You see?" She asked "That's the smile I've been wanting to see."

Shawn chuckled a little and the two wrestlers soon fell silent.

After he let go of her, Sophia got up from the bed "Well uh...I think I better go back to my room...I'll let you rest..."

She began to walk out of the room when Shawn called her "Wait!"

She turned around

"Will you...stay just a little longer?" he asked uneasily.

He felt a bit embarrassed for asking her to stay, but she looked like she wanted to stay as well.

"Alright. Scoot over, pretty boy" she added playfully

Shawn scooted to the side to let the female degenerate lay next to him on his bed as he turned on the TV and flipped through the channels until he saw 'Caddyshack' was on HBO. The two degenerates sat still and watched the 80's comedy.

_"I want a hamburger no, a cheeseburger. I want a hot dog, I want a milkshake. I want potato chips... "_

_SMACK_

_"You'll get nothing and like it!"_

Shawn and Sophia burst out laughing, making Shawn in a better mood.

_Laughter** is **the best medicine..._

The two friends sat in silence some more as they continued watching the movie. Once the scene showed Ty Webb in a tuxedo, Sophia giggled some more, which made Shawn raise an eyebrow.

"That Ty Webb is so handsome; I would be his caddy anyday!" Sophia said playfully with a wiggle of her eyebrows

Shawn felt a slight pang of jealousy, but decided to hide it as he teased her "He's such a tool! They should rename this movie 'Tool-shack starring Chevy Chase' "

She laughed while giving him a suspicious look "Is the Heartbreak Kid jealous?"

"No" he lied "I just think...Chevy Chase is a tool"

"Look who talking!" she exclaimed with a small chuckle in between.

She sang Shawn's entrance theme song in a fake deep voice, imitating him

i"I think I'm cute. I know I'm sexy. I've got the looks that drive the girls wild. I got the moves, that really move them. I send chills up and down their spine. I'm just a sexy boy! I'm not your boy toy!"

"Hey" he said defensively "That theme song wasn't my idea. It was the board of directors idea for me to sing that!"

"Riiiight" Sophia said , not believing him

"Nevertheless," Shawn continued with a cocky grin "I know I'm quite popular with the women. That's why I got that offer from Playgirl"

"You See?" she exclaimed, her point being proved "and you call Chevy a tool?"

"I'm not a tool; I'm a stud muffin" Shawn retorted

Sophia burst out laughing at his odd comment "God, Shawn. You and your comments, I swear!"

"Admit it though" he teased "Without me, your life would suck and be boring"

"Yeah...that's true" she said calmly with all seriousness. "My life would suck without you. You're like a breath of fresh air."

Shawn remained silent for a few seconds until he spoke up

"I know this is gonna sound weird for me to say this..." he began "But...I'm glad you're here with me. I know I'm not the most popular guy...since I only have you and Hunter as best friends and...it means alot for me to have you by my side and believing in me when no one else did."

Sophia smiled at his kind words

"I'm glad to hear you say that. I don't care what people think, I think you're a good person who just needs to be loved a bit more"

She leaned towards him and gave him a peck on the cheek, making him feel very humble. The two 'friends' continued watching the movie until it was over. By the time the credits rolled and Shawn turned off the TV, he saw that Sophia was fast asleep, snoring lightly as her chest moved gently up and down. He didn't want to wake her up and he didn't have the strength to pick her up and take her to her room, so he decided to leave her alone. He tucked a warm blanket on top of her and got under his covers. After he turned off the light, he snuggled closer to Sophia and gave her another kiss, the only gesture of love he could give her.

_If only she knew..._

"Thank you Sophie..." was all he could whisper to her "for everything"


End file.
